Apple and a Hacker's Future
I was happy for years in Apple's walled garden; with AI, however, their protections feel like limitations.
stratechery.com/2026/apple-and…
I was happy for years in Apple's walled garden; with AI, however, their protections feel like limitations.
stratechery.com/2026/apple-and…
Oct 5, 2026 · 10:01 AM UTC
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@stratechery Switch to Omarchy Linux, an AI-first operating system!
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@stratechery @TimSweeneyEpic Everyone is trying to make computer systems as vulnerable as possible so they can use an ai to make a cup of coffee. 🤦♂️
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@stratechery This is the strange thing. I had to work so hard to get MacMini to be headless and still needed to connect to upgrade and see for 27
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@stratechery @benthompson I heard Steve reciting “here’s to the crazy ones” while reading this piece.
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@stratechery I don’t think this is how regular consumers think.
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@stratechery apple walled garden now comes with AI you cannot turn off
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@stratechery Protections that felt like comfort for years turning into limitations once AI is in the picture is the same trade I see with locked-down company laptops. This year I judge our tools by what an assistant is allowed to reach on them, and the tightest one doesn't win by default.
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@stratechery @benthompson Why not a Linux server 😐? Why bother with a Mac mini.
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@stratechery biggest reasons to stay in the walled garden:
- superior hardware
- continuity with phone
- superior hardware
- continuity with phone
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@stratechery The best response of Apple would be a competitive agent which is better than Muse or Dots.
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@stratechery We actually went deeper on this here: x.com/AGTPinsights/s…
Apple just said it's tightening macOS Full Disk Access controls because of AI agents. Here's what you need to know.
Apple posted the update on its Developer News page on October 2, 2026. TechCrunch and 9to5Mac both covered it the same day.
Full Disk Access is the Mac permission ything. It reaches all your files, Mail, Messages, Safari history and Time Machine backups. Apple calls it an "extraordinary level of access."
The reason is AI agents. Apple says that as agents become more capable and autonomous, "the risks associated with this level of access will grow substantially." More agents are now asking users for Full Disk Access.
Apple says it will introduce additional controls going forward. Users who "genuinely wish to grant an app this extraordinary level of access" will be able to do so only with "very explicit user action."
The reaction so far is mixed. Many people call it a good and overdue move. Some developers worry it will mean more permission prompts instead of finer-grained ones. One user says an agent helped free up space on their Mac, going from 4GB free to 340GB free. Others expect Apple to build a permission framework for agents.
Key numbers:
- Announced October 2, 2026
- 1 permission affected: Full Disk Access
- 4 data areas named: files, Mail, Messages, Safari history, plus Time Machine backups
Apple has not yet said when the new controls will arrive or exactly how they will work.
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